NT chase women to boost budget

The Northern Territory Labor government will campaign to attract more people to move to the Top End as it unveiled a woeful budget with record deficits, debts and forecasts of a shrinking population and economy.

Financial incentives such as retention bonuses will be allocated to attract and retain women aged 20 to 39 who can have families and help balance male to female numbers.

At the last census the NT had 106 males per 100 females, although the actual number is thought to be higher.

Treasurer Nicole Manison's second NT budget included a deficit tipped to climb to a record $1.2 billion and net debt to its highest ever level at $4.5 billion.

There is no surplus in sight with $1 billion-plus deficits forecast for the next four years and net debt to peak at $7.5 billion and gross debt at $10 billion-plus.

The net debt to revenue ratio is tipped to peak at 119 per cent in 2021, meaning the government's net debt will exceed its income.

"Conditions in the economy are tough right now," Ms Manison said in her budget speech to parliament.

That storm includes a sharp drop in GST funding from the Commonwealth which represents 50 per cent of the NT's revenue, far more than any of the states.

The GST falls will amount to $414 million less than expected this year, $317 million in 2018/19 and another $2.5 billion-plus in coming years compared to previous projections.

Similarly to WA, which has experienced its own plunging GST receipts, the timing is poor, coming as an economic boom driven by the Inpex gas project slows.

"The GST accounts for almost half of the Territory's budget compared to about 25 per cent in other jurisdictions," Ms Manison said.

"There is no doubt we have the most southern-centric Australian government in recent history."

The outlook for the next couple of years is negative, with job numbers, the size of the economy and population growth falling.

Ms Manison was upbeat, pointing to an economic recovery from 2020-21 and citing the normal cycles faced by economies involved in resources.

She said the government was investing in a "brighter future" for Territorians by attracting private investors, allowing fracking for gas, health and education policies focussed on children and disadvantage and record infrastructure spending.

Population measures include offers to employers that hire workers who live in the NT to avoid payroll tax for two years.

"Over the next four years we will invest $7.9 million to implement our population plan, which includes marketing to attract the people we need most, early career women and late-career workers," she said in parliament.

A housing capital works spend of $766 million that included Aboriginal communities was supported by welfare group NT Shelter.